Elizabeth Kirby, who has been with the Chicago Public Schools for 23 years, will be returning to Northeast Ohio as superintendent of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights schools for the 2019-2020 school year. (Photo Courtesy of Cleveland Heights-University Heights City Schools)

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- After spending the last 23 years with the Chicago Public Schools, the new superintendent for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District looks forward to returning home to Northeast Ohio.

Elizabeth Kirby -- currently the chief of school strategy and planning overseeing 656 district, charter and contract schools in Chicago -- grew up in the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood and graduated from the Hawken School.

Following lengthy meetings with four finalists last week, the CH-UH school board voted unanimously Thursday (March 14) to hire Kirby to succeed Talisa Dixon, who left this month after nearly five years to run the Columbus City Schools.

And after negotiations on a contract advertised as starting at $165,000 a year, Kirby is expected to lead the district into the 2019-2020 school year, with an unofficial start date of Aug. 1.

“I am excited about the opportunity to return home to Northeast Ohio and lead a district that is rich in diversity and in opportunities for students,” Kirby said in a press release following the school board’s announcement.

Kirby added that during her visit to the district last Friday (March 8), she “truly felt at home when meeting students, staff and community members.”

She also plans to carry forward the momentum created through the district's strategic plan and guiding mission.

CH-UH Board of Education President Jodi Sourini outlined some of those key values in the current strategic plan, including equity, engagement and enhancing relationships with staff, families and community.

"We believe Ms. Kirby will build upon this foundation, without starting over, to move our district to the next level in improving student outcomes,” Sourini said. "She brings a proven track record of raising student achievement and closing learning gaps in a diverse community similar to ours. "

Sourini added that this was accomplished by aligning assessments with curriculum and streamlining the number of assessments being used, "providing teachers and staff with useful and actionable information while reducing the amount of instructional time lost due to testing."

Sourini also thanked staff and the public for participating in “meet-and-greet" sessions for each finalist last week, with each session attended by at least 50 community members.

Earlier this week, Cleveland Heights Mayor Carol Roe and City Manager Tanisha Briley noted that they attended all four meetings and came away impressed with all of the candidates.

Prior to the Kirby’s contract being negotiated and signed, longtime CH-UH administrator Dr. Brian Williams will continue to serve as the interim superintendent until she begins, district spokesman Scott Wortman noted.